This document discusses the need for women's empowerment and argues that it is important for creating a better future and more humane society. It notes that while we focus on empowering women, we do not do the same for men. The document highlights some of the harsh realities faced by women, such as lack of access to education, early marriage, forced motherhood, and subjection during marriage. It quotes Gandhi saying it is a crime to call women the weaker sex, as women have greater moral power and intuition. The document concludes by quoting a verse from Manusmriti stating that where women are respected, the gods make their home, and where they are not respected, human actions remain unproductive.

1. So, what do we talk about when we converse on Women Empowerment? Do we ever feel the need to do the same for men?
Certainly not. We are not unaware of the plight of women around us. From dawn to dusk we bask upon the sacrifice and
integrity of women and always forget to remember the fact that the opposite gender is quite stronger than we give them credit
for. Hence, it is indeed a laughable fact that we perceive the need to empower and emancipate more than half of the entire
world population.
As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “To call woman the weaker sex is a crime; it is man's injustice to woman.” If by strength is
meant brute strength, then, indeed, is woman less brute than man. If by strength is meant moral power, then woman is
immeasurably man's superior. Has she not greater intuition, is she not more self-sacrificing, has she not greater powers of
endurance, has she not greater courage? Without her, man could not be what he is today.
It is a harsh reality that a daughter today is denied facilities of education, compelled to marry even before finishing teenage,
forced to experience maternity and parenthood even before leaving school, kept under subjection during marriage and forced
to live a life of misery during widowhood. The women population is secluded in between the four walls of a house in many
parts of the world. And they all get the chance to go through all this if they are lucky enough to not get killed even before they
come out of their mother’s womb.
And I again return to square one. Why do we speak about empowering women .We do so – for a better tomorrow, for better
humanity. Wherever you find a great man, you will find a great mother or a great wife standing behind him -- or so they used
to say. It would be interesting to know how many great women have had great fathers and husbands behind them.
That’s why in the Manusmriti, which is an ancient code of conduct meant for hindus, it is said, “Yatra naryastu pujyante
ramante tatra Devata, yatraitaastu na pujyante sarvaastatrafalaah kriyaah”
Where women are respected, there the gods make their home; where they are not respected, all human actions remain
unproductive.
DHANYABAD